𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗌𝗈𝗇𝗀

"you get it." eli said, letting out a sigh of relief that he didn't have to explain himself to anyone tonight. just the thought of not having to do that brought a smile to his face and made his shoulders relax a bit more. "this is going to make me sound ridiculously old but i'm done with the late night parties, the really loud music, the overflowing drinks. i feel like i did more than enough of that when i was in my twenties." he shared, chuckling slightly. "my perfect night now consists of a good meal i made myself, highlights on the tv and maybe some chill music playing from my speakers in low lighting." eli said, closing his eyes as if to picture himself in that exact scenario instead of this at the moment. "what about you? is this your ideal night?"

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     “  i wouldn’t go as far as to say old.  because dude,  you’re going to make me feel old and i’m not quite ready to do that just yet.  ”  avery is a firm believer of thriving while in your thirties.  although,  they will readily admit that thriving in their thirties is more than attending parties with loud music and overflowing drinks.  so eli definitely has a point.  “  i’d like to think that our tastes have just changed.  but honestly  ?  an ideal night consists of a good martini,  a little sweet treat,  highlights on the tv preferably without my commentary playing because i like hearing what other analysts have to say.  but i will say,  attending a good game where i’m constantly at the edge of my seat and shouting for the team i’m rooting for also comes in as a close second.  ”

"a woman of really good taste." zee said, smiling warmly. "queen and abba can bring the whole world together and their songs are just so... timeless." she added, letting out a small sigh of happiness, knowing that they're talking about something she's so passionate about, before gesturing towards the stage. "will you be getting up there tonight?"

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     “  just someone who enjoys the classics,  ”  maxine admits.  that and her former life as a figure skater contributed to that.  hours spent deciding on music for choreography.  and she technically still does it now.  though,  not for her but for her skaters.  “  timeless and there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about them that’s not quite the same as it is nowadays,  y’know  ?  ”  at the other’s question,  she lets out a fond laugh and shakes her head.  “  oh i already did and i think once is more than enough for me.  gets the heat off me.  what about you  ?  ”

BRENDA SONG Behind the scenes of the photoshoot for Timid magazine

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     “  it’s such a fine line to thread that sometimes you end up realizing it a little too late,  y’know  ?  ”  she muses with a nod.  “  totally agree though,  confidence is attractive.  but when it turns to arrogance,  i’m out.  ”  she takes another sip of her drink as if it’ll mitigate the subpar nickelback performance.  “  i can respect the hell out of that.  it means they don’t take themselves too seriously and sometimes,  you need that.  ”  take avery herself as an example,  there’s always a high risk of embarrassing herself on national television if she misspeaks while breaking down a play.  the sports world is brutal enough as is.  “  it’s kinda grounding in a way.  ”

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     “  i survived once which means i am in the clear and don’t have to go again.  ”  comes her cheeky reply.  “  listen,  i’m just calling it like i see it  !  it’s real big talk for someone who hasn’t gone yet but good to know you’re being strategic about it.  i’ll give you that.  ”  maxine taps against her temple as if to say  ‘  good thinking.  ’  “  but you’re thinking ten minutes  ?  ”  she’ll survey the crowd.  “  i don’t know,  i’d say you’re closer to fifteen minutes away.  but i guess that all depends on this next performance and if it’ll drive people to drink more.  what’re you thinking of performing,  anyway  ?  ”

𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲  𝗶𝘀  𝗮  𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹  𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵  𝗼𝗳  𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳  at  the  sight  of  a  sober,  well-composed  person.  he  gives  the  other  a  nod  of  acknowledgment  and  secret  gratitude,  shuffling  over  just  the  slightest  bit  for  the  company  of  another  possible  wallflower  —  blink  and  you  could’ve  missed  the  invitation,  the  movement  /  acceptance  was  so  small  it  could’ve  been  mistaken  as  a  trick  of  the  light.  because  tomas  krummacher  does  not  need  anyone’s  company.  at  the  question,  he  looks  at  the  other  up  and  down  in  careful  assessment  of  the  intention  behind  the  question,  journalist  probing  for  secrets  ?  fan  looking  for  some  fiction  ?  he  takes  a  drag  of  his  secret,  he  was  exhausted.  so  he  shrugs,  “  ice  is  ice.  ”  he  takes  another  drag,  “  although,  everyone  here  seems  too….  nice.  it  is  unnerving  and  suspicious.  ”

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     they take the slight movement as an invitation to take a step forward.  not enough to invade his space,  but just enough for what one would deem acceptable for a social interaction.  avery understands the life of an athlete,  and while she never got her big break,  her brothers did.  and that kind of media attention is never very welcoming.  she realizes how her question may have come across.  “  fair enough,  ”  the analyst will shrug.  “  oh i completely understand what you mean.  that’s just their thing here.  i felt the same way when i first moved here.  and it was weird,  dude.  i had neighbors knocking on my door and welcoming me to the neighborhood at my first apartment.  i get the community aspect of it all but overall  …  off-putting.  but you’ll get used to it.  or learn to tolerate it.  ”

"  yeah,  well,  spend  enough  time  around  ranch  hands  and  drunk  old  men  at  county  fairs,  you  pick  up  a  few  poetic  sayings  along  the  way,  "  the  corner  of  his  mouth  twitching  upward  as  he  leans  back  against  the  bar  stool.  his  gaze  drifts  toward  the  stage  just  as  somebody  misses  a  note  so  badly  it  nearly  earns  a  wince  out  of  him.  "  and  absolutely.  whoever  decided  '  sweet  caroline  '  was  a  casual  karaoke  choice  deserves  jail  time,  "  a  laugh  slipping  from  him,  before  he  shakes  his  head,  "  what  about  you  ?  "

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     a light laugh escapes the former figure skater’s lips.  “  well you’ve got a fair point.  just know i’m now adding that to my list of poetic sayings.  i’m sure i might end up borrowing it one of these days.  ”  she makes a face just as someone misses a note,  using her drink to partially cover her expression.  “  hot take  ––  or maybe not,  i think the people who choose sweet caroline as their karaoke song want to get the audience involved so the heat’s off them.  ”  she’ll shake her head.  at bronson’s question,  maxine takes a moment to think.  “  tequila by the champs.  it’s funny the first couple of times but then you’re just standing on stage awkwardly waiting for line which surprise  !  it’s tequila.  ”

BRENDA SONG • HARPER’S BAZAAR

🤍

jalen was halfway through laughing at one of his teammates completely missing a drake verse when he noticed somebody hovering suspiciously close to the karaoke sign-up sheet. immediately, his grin widened. "nah," he said, pointing at them from across the bar like he'd just caught a crime happening in real time. "don't start looking at that clipboard unless you serious 'cause if you sign up," he added, nodding toward the stage where somebody was aggressively off-key, "you gotta commit. none of that shy halfway singing. if you embarrass yourself, you do it confidently."

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     hands are held up in mock surrender as she turns to face jalen.  “  i was just thinking about it.  technically,  this would be my second go around.  i already did it once.  ”  a perfectly manicured figure taps to the  ‘  maxine  ’  that’s now crossed out.  listen,  she’s a perfectionist but it’s taken her a long time to learn that it’s okay to not be inherently good at everything and to just have fun.  “  the more important question is,  have you gone yet  ?  and if you haven’t,  you’re talking up a real big game.  ”

𝗼𝗻𝗲  𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸  𝗶𝗻  𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀  𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆  and  the  krummacher  boy  is  grateful  for  the  excuse  to  drink  (  not  that  he  ever  needs  one,  but  there  is  half  a  pleasure  in  conforming  to social  norms  ).  he  finds  himself  alone,  the  music  ebbs  and  flows  in  the  background  &  the  bass  vibrates  through  his  neck  as  he  leans  on  the  wall  outside.  beer  in  one  hand  and  half  a  cigarette  in  the  other,  he  slumps  down  on  the  curb  and  takes  a  puff.  there  is  a  cacophony of sound  nearby  and  he  does  his  best  not  to  roll  his  eyes,  “  hope  you  are  not  drunk.  if  so,  just  lay  on  your  side  in  the recovery  position.  then  help  will  come. ” he  takes  another  drag  of  his  cigarette  and  mutters,  “  not  from  me,  but  someone,  surely.  ” @championstarters

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     she’s just stepping out for some air before spotting a drunk person stumbling  (  probably a rookie athlete if she had to take a guess  )  and a blond on a smoke break.  “  luckily for you,  i’m not but they might be.  ”  avery comments,  thumb pointing back to the person they’re both referring to.  “  but i’m sure someone will come to their aid.  southern hospitality and all,  ”  the analyst casually shrugs.  she knows who he is.  it’d be hard pressed not to.  but avery is never one to make a big deal when it comes to these athletes.  “  how’s the dallas ice treating you, anyway  ?  ”

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     “  y’know that is an excellent question.  it depends.  is this a group performance  ?  if so,  you can never go wrong with bohemian rhapsody.  it’s just so much better in a group.  if i’m by myself  ?  mamma mia by abba.  or any of abba’s greatest hits to be honest.  ”

delilah had become trapped at a table with three athletes arguing passionately over whether karaoke counted as "performing under pressure." which, frankly, felt deeply concerning for all professional sports involved. she took a slow sip of her margarita before finally glancing toward the person beside her, southern amusement warm in her eyes. "i need you to settle somethin' for me, sugar," she said. "is confidence attractive or can a person actually have too much of it?" she asked, head nodding toward someone yelling a nickleback song on stange.

⋆.°    ᝰ.ᐟ     avery sits with one arm draped lazily over the back of their chair as they nurse their drink.  at the sound of delilah’s voice,  they turn to face the younger woman.  “  well  …  ”  they start,  grimacing.  “  confidence can be attractive but there are its limits,  ”  their eyes will trail towards who the redhead is looking at.  “  i think too much confidence just turns to recklessness and arrogance.  and i personally do not like that.  ”

︵ིྀ ⠀ ♡ ⠀۪ ⠀𖥻   🛻 ㅤ      "  hahaha,  "  a  mocking  tone  slipping  past  his  lips  as  his  build  rests  against  the  bar  top.  "  nah,  you  can't  be  serious  …  you  gotta  be  one  fry  short  of  a  happy  meal  if  you  think  i’m  gettin’  up  there.  "

⋆.° ᝰ.ᐟ “ one fry short of a happy meal is a new one. ” maxine comments in jest. her eyes lazily shift towards the stage as the next person steps on before her attention refocuses on bronson. “ but since no one seems to be able to get you up there … were there any songs tonight that made you question why on earth someone would think it’d make a great karaoke song ? ”

⋆.° ᝰ.ᐟ “ you mean you don’t want to do it for the children ? ” avery playfully jests. they plop down on the seat next to eli. “ i’m just kidding. i hate when people try to guilt trip you into doing something when they could just respect your boundaries, y’know ? ” they lean back, taking a casual sip of their drink. “ if it’s already past your bedtime, we’re gonna be in for a LONG night.

Albert Camus, from Notebooks 1951-1959; May 13th, 1959